Latest AZ abuse report update shows 5,926 assigned

PHOENIX -- A new team assigned to review more than 6,500 child abuse and
neglect reports that weren't investigated by Arizona child welfare officials
says they've now assigned nearly 6,000 of those cases to investigators.

The so-called CARE team named on Dec. 2 by Gov. Jan Brewer provided the latest
update Monday.

It said more than 3,300 children identified in the reports now have been seen
and almost 2,900 cases have had a response.

The team is led by the head of the state's Juvenile Corrections department,
Charles Flanagan.

Department of Economic Security Director Clarence Carter revealed the
uninvestigated reports called into a hotline on Nov. 21.

Carter has placed five senior Child Protective Services workers on
administrative leave while an investigation is underway on how the cases were
illegally closed.